New aid ship heads for Gaza, days after flotilla raid

[EFerrari]

(CNN) -- Two days after Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, another ship packed with activists and assorted supplies sailed defiantly toward the Palestinian territory.

The Rachel Corrie, a ship named for an American activist killed in Gaza several years ago, was planning to arrive in Gaza late Friday or early Saturday. The vessel left Ireland carrying 550 tons of cement, educational materials, toys and medical equipment -- the latest effort by peace activists to deliver food and break Israel's blockade of Gaza.

Free Gaza Movement activist Derek Graham said that once the Rachel Corrie reaches Gaza, they intend to unload the vessel and return to Ireland.

However this risks further confrontation with Israel, which is intent on halting ships from delivering aid to Gaza because it fears military materiel will be delivered to militants in the Hamas-controlled territory.

How has the world reacted to the raid?

It won't be the last ship attempting to break the blockade. The European Campaign to End Siege on Gaza announced on Wednesday that it has received the funding of the first three ships of a new fleet headed to Gaza.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/06/02/gaza.raid.activists/index.html?section=cnn_latest

So, the Rachel Corrie is en route and a new fleet is being put together. Well done.

[LakeSamish706]

1. I would like to see a military escort for these vessels though, cause I think that

Israel will do this again.

[EFerrari]

2. This is what it's going to take. I think the participants are very clear

on that.

No government will cross the United States and the United States protects Israel's impunity.

[tekisui]

3. Good. Keep sending them until the blockade is ended.

Escorted by militaries if needed.

[EFerrari]

4. Everyone EXCEPT us has called for the end of the siege in the aftermath

of this atrocity.

[LakeSamish706]

5. And why do you think that is anyway? n/t

[EFerrari]

6. Well, in my view, the MIC has deformed our relationship with Israel

both at home and aboard. This has been in no one's best interests, not ours, not Israel's, and certainly not the Palestinians'.

And, if I'm understanding the situation correctly, Turkey is becoming more useful to the US in the region than Israel has been lately. So, this crisis is particularly complicated for our government.

[LakeSamish706]

7. Yeah it's complicated for our Government, but they can't go on giving Israel

a free pass when they do shit like this.

[EFerrari]

8. Right. Clearly that relationship is toxic and even dangerous

for all of us.

[Tripmann]

9. Speaking from an overseas perspective

this softsoaping of the tragic event has severely damaged the standing of Obamas presidency. We rolled our eyes when bush backed OCL (after all, you can't expect warmongers to condemn their allies) but this is different. We looked to Obama to help restore Americas moral standing in the world.

[EFerrari]

10. Well, two things come to mind.

One, Obama seems not to use strong language except in situations of his own choosing. That simply seems to be his character.

Two, it is political suicide for any American political to openly oppose the Israeli lobby. I don't know when that happened but it has been this way for many years.

Three, (okay, I lied, lol) there are very entrenched interests in our State Department that protect the empire and their own power at any cost to anyone. Witness, their support and even complicity in the bloody Honduran coup last summer. Witness the militarization of Haiti after the quake. Witness the attacks on Lula da Silva of Brazil while he was negotiating with Iran recently and the subsequent rejection of the deal he made.

I don't think we will be able to assess this president for some time because of his natural reserve, because of the domestic context of his presidency (we're in a paroxysm of nativism right now) and because even if he is so inclined, entrenched interests in the American government will fight reform tooth and nail at every step. Imo.

[Tripmann]

11. Its funny you should say that

I was only discussing with my friends whether or not Obama is waiting till his second term, when he doesn't have to worry about re-election, to distance himself properly from the nethenyahu govt.

[EFerrari]

12. The world has reaching a tipping point over Gaza, I think,

and it's hard to see it waiting for the convenience of the American government any more. The boycott of Israel, once considered radical, is being mainstreamed. Gaza picks up supporters every day. The Israelis are not adjusting at all to this new attitude.

I think this will end badly for Israel and also, for American influence.